The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-31

Col. John A. Keith, OF Columbus In TINS SER
vice the regiment continued till it was
mustered out in January, 1866. As II was
mustered il July "a. 1861, twas In the service
four years and six months, or probably among the
longest of all the volunteer forces OF the Nation
Besides Col. Fry barger, who was longest ana
most active in the artillery service OF the State,
there were several officers who contribute ma
tsrielly to it's efficiency in tho field COL Jonn
L. Smithmyer, who had been in the city for
year or two, actively engaged as an architect
the State buildings were his work after his mill
tary service ended-proved a very useful assist
ant to Gov. Morton in work that was less I'M
derstood than any other military business. ana
needed, more than any, special training and mt
ness He superintendent the making OF some
iron guns for the State by Miles Greenwood, Of
Cincinnati, and aided materially in systematic
ing tbs bureau service of the artillery. with
him was associated Col. Herman Sturm chief
of the State arsenal. and supervisor OF all
its manufactures during the war. He had
been engaged N his younger days in German
arsenal, as had Mr. Smlthmyer, and mad there
acquired both the theoretical knowledge and
practical skill required to conducr the manufact-
ure OF fixed ammunition Under their dlrec-
ton. but chiefly by the management of Colonel
Sturm, the State arsenal was opened in the large
brick building on the south side of Washington
street, opposite the State-house, in the fall or
'6L The ammunition of the national govern
ment was not only deficient in quantity but
defective in quality. as Colonel Frybarger found
it in Missouri. To remedy this difficulty, Gov
ernor Morton, after consulting his two skilled
assistants, decided to make the ammunition for
the States batteries at home, and it was found
on trial in the field to be decidedly better than
that made in the national arsenals, and thence
forward the national government depended
largely on the Indiana supply. Colonel Anneke,
apother German. had temporary charge of the
States artillery service, but gave it up when
Colonel Frybarger was put in command by Gov
ernor Morton
In the organization, drill, and equipment of
the States batteries. Captain Nicholson gave
valuable aid, and is spoken of by all concerned in
the preparation of the companies officer
whose services were almost Indispensable. Capt
LII If %L2 :1A% p,&%4
into service Aug. "a, 1862. made himself con-
spicuous by efficiency in the field. And at Chica-
manga, when he had been in the service but
little more than a year. he inflicted the heaviest
loss the rebels that they endured at any point
of that bloody battle ground. A large body of
them were charging out of wood across
troops in a wood on the other
side. among whom Wilder's
regiment, armed with repeating rifles. Across
the open field, about midway, ran dry ditch
some three four feet deep. Lillys ba ttery
was attached to Wider's brigade. and was on
the extreme right, very near thel head of the
ditch. The charging rebel force was terribly
cut up by the rapid fire of the repeating rifles
and hurrying to the ditch took refuge there from
the storm of bullets. Lilly saw his chance in
an instant wheeled two of his guns. double
loaded with canister. ranging right down the
rebsl-p ditch, and fired Hardly a man that
had got into this shelter escaped unhurt The
charging line charged back good deal faster
than it came Capt. James H. Myers, Captain
Sims, Captain Andrew and several others
whose companies had been long and we'll trained
made most credtable showing in field service.
The following the battles in which Indiana
artillery was engaged. compiled from the Jour
nails Atlas. snd Adjutant general Terrels re-
port:
Adairsvile, Ca, May 1864; Fifth Battery
Allegheny Va. Dec. 13, 1861; Twentysixth Bat
terry (Wder's.)
enth Eleventh. Fifteenth. Eighteenth, Nineteenth
Twentieth, Twenty-second and Twenty third Bat
teries.
Baton Rouge, La. Aug 5, 1862; First Regim Mt
heavy artillery. Twenty.hrst Regiment
Bean Station, Tenn, Dec IA. 1868; Twenty fourth
Bentonville, N c.. Mar. Ia, 1865; Nineteenth
Black River, Miss, May II. 1861 First and Sixth
Battery.
Brandy Station. Va Aug. %, "a. 1861 Sixteenth
Buffalo Mountain Ind. Terr..O %. 1868; Second
Camden Ark. April II. 1864; Second Battery.
Campbells Station, Tenn, Nov. 16. 1868; Fif
Cave Hill Ark. Nov. y. 1862, Second Battery
Cassvile Ga. May 10. 1864; Fifth, Eighteenth and
Cedar Mountain, Va. Aug. 0. 1862 Sixteenth
Cedar Creek Va, Oct. 10, 1864; Seventeenth Rat
champion Hills Miss. May 16, 1864: Seventeenth
Battery.
Charleston. Va, Oct. IS. 1868; Seventeenth Bat
terry.
Chickmauga, Ga, Sept. 49, 20 1868; Fourth,
Fifth Seventh. Eighth, Eleventh, Eighteenth. Nine.
teenth and Twenty-first Batteries,
Columbia Tenn, Nov. 90. 1861: Fifteenth
Twenty-frst Twentyseco Twenty third, Twenty
fourth Batteries.
Concord Tenn, Nov. 16, 1868; Fifteenth, Twenty
CGrinsh. Miss April II to May 80, 1852 Fourth,
Twelfth and Fourteenth Batteries.
Cornet Bridge, La, Oct. 3. L. 1862; First Heavy
Artillery.
Cotton Gap. Ark, Sept. /. 1885, Second Battery.
Coucherville, La. May. 1864; Third and Ninth Bat
Cross Keys, Va. June 8, 1862; Twenty sixth
(Wilders.)
: cambridge, Tenn, Jan. II, 1864; Eight zenith,
i
Des Alemands. La, Sept 8, 1862; Twenty first.
Dug Gap. Ca, Sept. IL 1863 Fourth Battery.
. Ebenezer Church, Ala, April 1, 1865; Eighteenth
Elkwater, Va. Sept. II, Is. 1861; Twenty-s,xth
Battery.
Fair Garden, Tenn, Feb 10, 1868; Eighteenth
Battery.
Pennington, Tenn. Oct. T. 1868, Eighteenth Bat
Fishers Hill. Va, Sept. % 1864. Seventeenth
Fort Anderson, N. c., Feb 10, 1865, Fifteenth
Fort Blakely Ala. April g. s65 Third Battery
Fort De Russy. La. March a. 1864 First Third
Fort Fisher, n. c.. JAN IA. Is, 1865. Fifteenth
Fort McA;ster, Ga, Dec 1s, 1864 Ninteenth
Ba ttery-
Fort Smith, Ark. July %, 81. 1864, Second Bat
Fort Wayne, Ark Oct % 1862 Second Battery.
Franklin, Tenn, Nov. 80, 1864, Fifteenth,
Eighteenth. Twenty-second and Twenty-third Bat
cries.
Guntown, Miss. June 10. 1864. Sixth and Four
Halltown, Va, Aug. "a. 1864, Seventeenth Bat
,ery.
Harpers Ferry Va. Sept. 13, Is, 1862 Fiftheenth
md Twenty-sixth Batteries.
Harpers Ferry, Va. July 6, 1868. Seventeenth
Battery.
Hartwell Tenn Dec. T. 1862, Thirteenth Battery
Henderscns Hill. La, Nov. 81 1864. Ninth Bat
cry.
Hoover's Gap. Tenn.--no date in Terrell-Fourth.
eighteenth Nineteenth and Twenty-frst Batteries.
Hurst's Station, Ga, June 1864, Fifth Battery.
Jackson, Miss July 9, Is, S63. First and Sixth
5a cries.
Jonesboro, Ga, Sept 1864. Fifth, Fifteenth
Nineteenth and Twentieth Batteries.
Kenesaw Mt. Ga. June 27, 1864, Fifth, Seventh,
Eleventh, Fifteenth. Nineteenth Twenty second, |
Fwenty-third and Twenty fourth Batteries.
Kingston, Ca, June =, 1894 Fifteenth Battery.
Kirksville Mo-, Aug =, 1862. Third Battery. |
Knoxville Tenn. Nov II to Dec A. 1868. Fifth |
zenith Twenty third, Twenty-fourth and Twenty
ixth Batteries
LaFourche Crossing, La, Jan. 81, 1868, detach-
nent First Heavy Battery.
Lexington. Tenn, Dec Is, 1862; detachment Four
zenith Light
Liberty Gan, Tenn. June 26. 1863; Fifth.